


Going Out the Same Way

by hollyandvice (hiasobi_writes)



Series: Self Indulgent Leverage/Stargate fics [3]
Category: Leverage, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen, Missions Gone Wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-07 23:23:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11634093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiasobi_writes/pseuds/hollyandvice
Summary: Daniel's the one that comes and finds him after PK3-994. Eliot had been very careful about avoiding all his usual haunts, but Daniel had always known him better than the colonel, at least when it came to things like this.Daniel finds Eliot after a mission gone wrong takes the lives of Eliot's team members on PK3-994.





	Going Out the Same Way

**Author's Note:**

> I'm only up to S5 of SG-1, but these fics wanted to be written, so I apologize for what will undoubtedly be inconsistencies with later canon. Takes place sometime between S3 and S5 for SG-1, pre-series for Leverage.

Daniel's the one that comes and finds him after PK3-994. Eliot had been very careful about avoiding all his usual haunts, but Daniel had always known him better than the colonel, at least when it came to things like this.

The bar is small, cozy in that Colorado Springs way that isn't quite enough like home to make it all go away, but close enough to soothe. He's got an untouched tumbler in front of him, the ice in it half-melted form the ten minutes he's stared at it. Daniel eases in across from him, easy as anything, his own drink already in hand. "This seat taken?"

Eliot doesn't dignify that with a response.

Daniel takes a drink from his bottle, making a face at the taste. "Damn. That tastes even worse than it sounded when the bartender offered it to me."

"Then why'd you order it?" Eliot asks against his better judgment.

Daniel grins. "I couldn't very well let you sit here being all morose by yourself, now could I? What kind of friend would that make me?"

"The kind that knows I don't need your pity right now."

Daniel sets his bottle down, meeting Eliot's eyes head-on. "This isn't pity, Eliot. This is empathy."

Eliot snorts, then reaches for his drink and downs it in one go before signaling the bartender for another.

Daniel lets out a sharp, harsh breath through his nose at the motion, and Eliot ignores the twinge of guilt in his gut at the sound. "Eliot. Come on. You know me better than that."

Eliot scrubs a hand over his face, looking away from Daniel as though it might give him the strength to say what he needs to say. "I know. I just. IT shouldn't have gone down like that. Major Simmons—"

"Made the best call he could. It got you out safe, which isn't nothing."

"I shouldn't have left. My whole team—"

"Trusted you to stay safe."

"No, they trusted me to keep _them_ safe! There's a difference."

"There's no way they could've know what the Goa'uld were planning."

Eliot closes his eyes, shaking his head. He can feel the way his hands are shaking and hates the way it makes him feel weak. "I don't know, Daniel. Maybe… maybe I'm just not cut out for this."

"For what?"

"The whole program." Daniel's quiet for long enough that Eliot forces himself to open his eyes and look at him. Eliot frowns at the quiet contemplation in his face. "Daniel?"

"You're a hell of an asset, Eliot, and I'd be sad to see you go. But this program isn't for everyone; you know that as well as I do. If you think it's time to go, I can talk to Hammond about getting you another assignment. One that would still make use of all your skills."

Eliot blinks. "You mean that?"

"You know that SG-1 thinks very highly of you, Jack especially. We can pull some strings if you want."

Eliot looks down into his drink, feeling himself waver. The out is horribly tempting, and for a long second he thinks about taking it. About easing off the pressure, where not every mission is one of life-or-death, planet-saving importance. And, to an extent, he knows the day will come when he needs that. When the shaking in his hands becomes too much and the drive to disable instead of destroy becomes too strong. That day is coming.

But that day isn't today.

He lifts his tumbler to his lips, taking a quick sip before he meets Daniel's eyes again. "Soon, Daniel. Soon. But not yet. I think I've still got a few more missions in me."

Daniel gives a proud smile, tilting his bottle toward Eliot. "Just say the word. You've got all of us behind you, man."

Eliot just nods. His hands may still have that shake in them when he leaves, but at least he knows he's got Daniel in his corner just as much as he's in Daniel's.

**Author's Note:**

> [Come hang with me on tumblr!](http://hollyandvice.tumblr.com/)


End file.
